Clones take the leading roles in Orphan Black

Orphan Black sees clones take the lead

It takes not long at all for me to become somewhat lost on the set of Orphan Black. Not physically lost — the set at a studio in the south end of Toronto’s trendy Leslieville isn’t nearly as Byzantine as some — but rather a bit puzzled.

The thing is, it’s a tricky series to wrap one’s head around. Which is at it should be, since is intended to be a mystery-thriller with a dash of conspiracy thrown in. As I’m visiting, the crew is busily prepping to shoot a scene in a grubby hipster apartment, home to Felix, the half-brother of Sarah, the lead character played by Tatiana Maslany (Picture Day). On the other side of the wall is a sleek loft condo unit, home to another character, a troubled young woman … also played by Maslany. Then there’s the police bullpen, where a different character — yes, played by Maslany — works.

There be clones, you see.

Orphan Black, which will premiere on Space and BBC America this spring, is the story of someone who assumes the identity of a dead woman who looks just like her, only to discover that she is a clone. And there are others. And, naturally, someone wants her dead.

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John Fawcett (Spartacus), director and co-creator with Graeme Manson (Cube), says he first had the nugget of an idea for this back when he saw the film Memento. “I loved the way the character was completely in the dark,” he says as we sit in the police station. “I loved the sort of off-kilter feeling that gave the character. Essentially what it is is an identity thriller: Who are you? That’s the main question here, too.”

The pair started out planning to make a feature film, but Fawcett says “they couldn’t solve it” — couldn’t find a way to get all the stuff they were coming up with into two hours. But they loved the material. “Imagine,” he says, “this person has money and a sexy boyfriend and a great loft and you step into that life — and you find out that there’s a reason this person killed herself.”

It does sound like a fun world to explore. There’s also the fact that clones are generally considered to be cannon fodder. Here, they are the lead(s).

So, I ask, now that it’s a series, did they solve it? Or are they just freewheeling for a while?

Fawcett smiles. “We have a plan,” he says. They aren’t tied to anything specific, “but at the same time we have a big picture … at least to get us through two or three seasons.” He smiles again. “Ultimately, there is an end game.”